The Gargish Virtues
by Balin Lord of Moria
Summary: A series of acrostic poems about the Three Principles and Eight Virtues of the Gargoyle race. Age of Enlightenment time period. Sequel to *The Eight Virtues* and part of a series of poems on Britannia's virtue systems.
1. Direction

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Ultima_; Richard Garriott does.

* * *

**Direction**

* * *

**D**oes one know which way to go?

**I**t is not easy to know the right path.

**R**eady, you must be,

**E**ver you must learn how,

**C**ontrol your life, you must,

**T**o find your path in life.

**I**f one knows where to go,

**O**nly those without control go

**N**owhere to endure, they are laid low.


	2. Feeling

**Feeling**

* * *

**F**ull of emotion we all are,

**E**ven the most repressed of us

**E**ver lets slip his innermost heart.

**L**ittle or big, our feelings may be,

**I**t is vital that we express them,

**N**ary a passion unnoticed, there is,

**G**argish society will not hear.


	3. Persistence

**Persistence**

* * *

**P**raying for the best will not

**E**ver be enough to get your needs.

**R**arely handed out on a silver plate

**S**plendid works and deeds are,

**I**t must be made true by the self,

**S**o he must work hard to achieve it

**T**o avoid the trap of lazy sloth.

**E**nter the realm of diligent work,

**N**ot the domain of complacency,

**C**an a gargoyle win a race,

**E**nding it with accomplishment.


	4. Balance

**Balance**

* * *

**B**eyond control, nothing is,

**A**ll passion leads to good and bad.

**L**ate is the hour when evil returns,

**A**nd early is the hour of good.

**N**eedless to say, one must fight to

**C**ontrol the perfect circle of the two,

**E**ither one cannot live without the other.


	5. Achievement

**Achievement**

* * *

**A** task at hand should be complete,

**C**lean, neat, and orderly,

**H**aving no unfinished parts.

**I**f missing, one part is,

**E**ven a small smidgen of the whole,

**V**ouch for one's project, we may not,

**E**mbrace the whole is what is right.

**M**onuments and grand pyramids

**E**nvelope our society's culture.

**N**ow to achieve a new contribution,

**T**o achieve a gem is a heaven-send.


	6. Precision

**Precision**

* * *

**P**repare to get your vital task

**R**ight and true is what we must do,

**E**xpecting it to be as exact,

**C**ompact and on target, we will.

**I**f it verges away from the goal,

**S**lowly or swiftly, high, side or low,

**I**t will not achieve a final blow.

**O**nly with precise control and diligence,

**N**ail our foe or friend, we can.


	7. Order

**Order**

* * *

**O**nly may the young and old

**R**eap the harvest of their labors,

**D**eep within the heart of a place

**E**venly controlled with deep passion,

**R**eadily policed by steadfast diligence.


	8. Singularity

**Singularity**

* * *

**S**imply living as individuals,

**I**s not the gargoyle way.

**N**either, though, is an insect hive mind,

**G**uided by a queen and blindly followed.

**U**nity gives strength to our kind,

**L**ending us the power we use,

**A**ll our lives to survive the terrific

**R**ealities of our harsh world.

**I**ndividuality is equally pivotal,

**T**raining us to be a united race,

**Y**et in all our actions we are singular.


	9. Chaos

**Chaos**

* * *

**C**alamity and rage abound,

**H**ell on earth is the result of

**A**ge-old lack of those most vital,

**O**ur beloved principles, which

**S**imply cannot be if we are to live.


	10. Control

**Control**

* * *

**C**an one guard and move himself?

**O**r can he control the lives of others?

**N**ot without first learning the great

**T**ruth of our first principle.

**R**are is the time this is not needed.

**O**nly with self-control may one

**L**earn how to control his life and others'.


	11. Passion

**Passion**

* * *

**P**erhaps one can live without this, but

**A** passionate person has a fire for life,

**S**oaring the heights of the heavens,

**S**eldom missing good opportunities,

**I**f, that is, he keeps it in check,

**O**nly striving for what is his, and

**N**ot losing sanity for his goals.


	12. Diligence

**Diligence**

* * *

**D**oing something is what makes

**I**t come into being to be seen.

**L**aziness will make it happen, not,

**I**f you are not a player at heart.

**G**ames, work, learning and achieving

**E**ach are won through a persistent mind,

**N**ot the mind of an acid slug,

**C**lassic and modern writing and art

**E**very one is achieved through diligence.


End file.
